Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-12-31
Copyrighted. lss7.l


Of this paper. Ii is no longer practicable
for the mos, obstinate optimist ever cen
WINGED against his will to close his eyes 4
the decadence unto dissolution Of the good
ly and ancient Knickerbocker custom Of
New Years calls. Desuetude has fallen 81
gradually that we were net for long tims
aware of the creeping blight
Miss Woclson. in her charming novel,
Anne" gives us a glimpse Of it as 1t was
kept as lately as '5s or SO:
New Years Day was, In the eyes OF
Margaretta Teller, solemn festival.
Thought was given to it In June; prepara-
tion for it began in September.
.'Oid men with gOuty feet. amateur anti
Quarians Of mild but obstinate aspect,
called regularly on the old Dutch holiday
and tasted her old-time New Years punch.
They cherished the idea that they were thus
maintaining the solid old customs and
they spoke TO each other in moist, husky
undertones when they met In the hall, rs
much as to say, All, ah. you hersr That's
right. that's right! A barrier, sir-a bar
rier against modern innovation Nv.
The barrier is down now-mere's the
pity, and the custom and the old men and
''all the world is in the sea" Of Innovation.
New Years day Il still nominally the citi-
zen's own personal property. but 1t has
sunk to the level Of the ordinary bank holi-
day. Ii is fcst.i tsigniicantly enough. We
have 10 American synonym for the word)
only as il brings suspension Of business.
opportunity for recreation. IL one knows
how 10 take it. The direction Of that re-
Taxation or entertainment Is no longer pre-
scribed by public sentiment.
Those Of us for whom the surging wears
have touched hgh-watsr mark and begun
to recede recall the pious indignation with
which we heard the rising generation
whisperinsly at first. then boldly-pro-
noanre the custom Of New Years visiting a
bore" About the same date young icono-
ciasis beeaa to speak of family prayers a. N
obsolete IN 2itntion and George Washing
ton as ''a' priggish Old duffer." To our
reverent imagination il seemed As likely
that Banker HUI monument would be
blown up with dynamite or Santa Claus
fall into disrepufs as that New Years calls
for young and old. rich and poor, would 20
out of fashion.
WHAT NEW YEARS USED TO BE.
1t WAS a gladly solemn remuneration at
the birth of each year Of woman as queen
of the American home. M,jrstic. bepig-
nant. her feet tirm on the solid rock Of pre-
cedent. she held aloft the sacred torch of
hospitality in equal welcome to friend and
stranger. We were at home then for
twelve hours out of the twenty-four. and
he who did not pay his respects within the
boundary lines of IL a. IN. aud IL p. m.
was stricken from the invitation list for
the coming year unless he could
plead Illness or absence from the
oft n tam nf "a nfr SSin
The compliments Of the season" had mean
ing and force. There was grateful rcassur-
ance in OccGiar demonstration that sur
friends remembered and were pleased that
We had outliyed the scorch and frost OF an
ether twelvemonth. Each call cut a notch
In our iaily-slick Of pleasures. Whatever
had been the losses il dead and missing
duriU. the late campaign, the ranks closed
up braveiy on tins dress parade. the voices
rang cut clearly In answering to rollcall.
Young America prodded the first hole In
the dyke. | think the national trick of
rushing things" was the beginning OF the
end. How many hying calls could be put
in bet xeen the two ends Of the social day
became an ambition. They hired carriages
by the hour-these emuiouS spriglets of So
ciety-in bands of four big blades or six slim
ones, and went in for IT," even betting
freely on the result. They got down cold"
the average length Of q barely decent call,
dallying long.s ST where the best wines and
nobiest spreads" were. and skimping on
''slow" houses. The leisurely exchange Of
goodwill and good wishes gave way before
4 rattle of hollow formalities; the dignifed
procession of gentlemen come to do hon 10
70 gentlewomen became = serub-race.
Next calling hours were shOrtenef, aA1
Sal
came aylight and noon, yet was not smiss
In social gathering at home, girls assumed
party dresses in the afternoon, and re
ceived" BY gsSiight in artihciaiiy darkened
rooms. Then the impromptu carpet dance
that closed the festivitie in some popular
houses grew into the New Years bail. and
undaunted masculine Young America At
tended hve or six In single night, femi-
nlne Young America receiving" BY the
score in the parlOrs Of one Of the number.
The death-blow to New Years calls was
the cheapiy- contemplate and cOntemptibly
cheap device of sending visiting cards BY
post or hand instead Of paying ones re-
spec;s in person. The evasion cheated no.
body, but it satisfied some senders' con-
sciences and had o snobbish smack that
commended il to others Of like caliber. The
stateiiness and grace which were the heart
of the ancient custom were torn out and
flung away. We have but . desecrated
dead thing left.
Our young men and maidens, having done
us this wrong, unite in ccndemning the
whole ceremonial as it once was rs "a ter
rife nuisance" Fashion. at their dictation.
DEGREES coldly that "only nobodies ever
think Of paying New Years calls nova
days" That puts the tombstone above the
grave. An act of congress could not abolish
the system 50 eifectually.
What have they given us in exchange?
A rush countryward on the part of those
who have rural residences-an effort. one
cannot but suspect, to escape haunting
memories-an aimless scramble for amuse-
ment with the great multitude. The old
citizen lounges drOwsily over the register at
home. with the uneasy Consciousness Of
having lost something that used to mark
The drawing Of the year and fretful in the
cOnyicti0n that the stable landmarks are
more and more violently removed as he
grows cider. There is nothing distinctive
sbout the anniversary: but for ieafess
trees ard winter weather il might as well be
the first day of July as January.
True. some popular diyines and presum-
ably popular civic officials hold receptions
on the first day Of the year in perfunc:ory
endsavnr TO retain or propiiiate highly
xxomiscuous constituency modern ap-
plicaticn of the boy Franklin's recommen-
da,ion anent the pork barrel. The best
achievement Of this sort bears such relation
to the fair old usage as does imitation cot
ton lace at ten cents q yard to Venetian
point
Is it possible. In the craze for ancient fur
niture and books, for yellow lace and stained
leather bindings and ragged parchment and
old English pretrnses of all kinds. to resus-
citafe this once approved system Must We
wait patiently until reactiOnary disgust
brings il forward rs . relief from the social
ma RI ion larness IN sf has spcoaoso1